The U.S. and Afghanistan have reached a preliminary agreement to maintain some troops in Afghanistan after the majority of foreign soldiers leave the country by the end of 2014, Reuters reported Sunday.
Lesley Wroughton and Jessica Donati write the pact depends on the approval of the Loya Jirga, an assembly of Afghanistan’s tribal leaders and elders on on the U.S.’ request to give its citizens immunity from Afghan law.
Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday the bilateral security agreement cannot go through if that request is denied, according to Reuters.
Kerry and Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed on the pact after two days of dialogue, the report said.
The assembly, which can have between hundreds of people and more than 1,000, will be held within a month and one senior diplomat told Reuters the tribal leaders usually agree with the president’s advice.
